The Mystery Child
by olleona
Summary: 15 years have passed after our friends finished Hogwarts. But life never stops, and now their children enter the School of Witchcraft and Wizardy. And again, the Sorting Hat fails to determine it exaclty, where 11-year-old girl Mystery Keeper is going to


The Mystery Child.  
Chapter 1.  
The Two Letters.  
  
A sunray slipped into the room and carefully crawled to a simple bed with a wooden bolster. Having reached it, it waited for a while, then suddenly jumped up and tickled the tip of the nose, that stuck up over the blanket. The person in the bed mumbled discontentedly, tossed and turned to the other side, trying to catch the leaving dream, but a kind and a bit sad woman voice, coming from the next room, helped the sunray:  
  
--Misty, it's time to get up! --M-mmm.O'K, mum.W-wait. --Get up now! If you oversleep the breakfast, I'll feed the holiday cake to the owls! --Er- holiday? --You, sleepyhead.Don't you know what day it is today? --Sunday, and.Oh, mum!!!!  
  
The blanket was immediately thrown to the wall, and there appeared a disheveled dark-haired girl, of about 10 or 11 years old. Jumping happily, she stamped barefoot to the living room.  
  
--It's my birthday!!! Hooray!!! I'm eleven! --Sure, you are. Now go to the bathroom, wash your hands and go to the kitchen.  
  
Misty made a funny face and blew the thick hair off her forehead. Now, go and have breakfast, just as usual??? Never! Does her 11th birthday happen every day?! 11th! Just. Just cannot imagine! It means, that she is already grown up and soon she will be allowed to have everything she'd dreamed of since the early childhood! Foretasting a real pleasure from the presents, she rushed into the living room.  
  
It was the most unusual living room you could have ever imagined. To start with, there was a fireplace that occupied almost a third of one of the walls. In spite of the summer heat, there blazed fire. The tongues of the flame shimmered in all rainbow colors, and there was no smoke at all. Above the fireplace there hanged a watch with a round clock-face. On the clock- face there were at once ten hands with written names. And instead of the figures it was written: 'At work', 'Home', 'School', 'Asleep', 'Out', 'Coming Home'. In the place where all normal watches have the figure '12' it was written in red capitals: 'DANGER'. Now almost all the hands have bunched together at the note 'Home'; only one of them, signed 'Ron', was 'Coming Home'. All the rest of the wall was occupied by bookshelves. There seemed to be nothing special in the books, except for the titles, written on them: 'The Magical Herbs of Great Britain', 'Preparation and Application of Healing Potions', 'Evil Eyes, Damnations and the Cure Methods', and many others. The photos in frames, placed with love on the mantelpiece, also looked oddly: the people in them moved. All in all, there was something in the living-room to pay attention to, but Misty paid no attention to any of the miracles. She was much more amused by a copper-mounted mirror, which hung opposite her. The girl ran up to it and stared at the muddy glass, that didn't reflect a thing.  
  
--So? How long shall I be waiting? - inquired Misty.  
  
The flat surface of the mirror shook, the mud dispersed, and the girl could see her own reflection; though she had a pig's snout instead of her nose and pretty horns on her head.  
  
--You lie!!! That's not true! Show it NORMALLY!  
  
The reflection crisped and dimpled, as if someone had thrown a stone into water, and it changed. Now, out of the mirror, there looked a pop-eyed girl, with fat cheeks and an improperly turned-up nose, bristling hair and, what's more, she was wearing an old sack instead of pajamas.  
  
--You, stupid! - the girl punched the mirror as hard as she could and sighed from pain. - Stop jeering! I'm not a house elf! If you don't show as it is, I'll take the hammer and break you!  
  
The threat worked. The mirror grew turbid discontentedly, and then reflected the girl and the room as brightly and distinctly as it could.  
  
--That's it! And, listen, if you jeer at me TODAY, I'll tell my mum to carry you to the attic! - Misty stuck her tongue out and began to examine herself.  
  
To her great disappointment, nothing had changed since yesterday, when she was only ten. Still that rather a high girl with dark eyes, in which, beautifully framing the pupils, shimmered the golden sparkles; and heavy straight black tresses. Even the sore elbow hadn't changed. Misty made a funny face, stuck her tongue out and bulged her ears out with her fingers.  
  
--Grrr.! I'm sooo shaggy-haired and rotten! Just as any house elf! Fie! - She laughed and turned to the table, where she found four packets, wrapped into multicolored paper. - Oho, the owls must have brought them a bit earlier in the morning. Aha, exactly. - the first wrapping fell to the floor. - This is from. grandma and grandpa. Super!!! Mum, grandma and grandpa have presented me with muggle wristwatch! - Misty avidly grasped the postcard. - Only it shows the right time all over the Earth, you don't need to wind it up, and it will never brake, even if you "drop" a bookcase on it! Hurrah! And this. This is from Uncle Fred and Uncle George! Well, I'd better try it later. It must be something awfully funny! And this is from Uncle Percy. What a nasty wish! "Behave yourself, be smart obey your mum" and stuff. And he couldn't have presented anything except for the RIGHT cauldron - he doesn't have enough imagination. Let me see your present. Ah, MUM, YOU'VE BOUGHT AN OWL! I HAVE MY OWN OWL!  
  
Having forgotten everything, the girl jumped all over the room, carefully clasping the cage to her bosom. There, in the cage, being finally dumbfounded, fluttered a little owl. Making the fourth or the fifth round over the room, Misty ran into her mother , waved her arms awkwardly, dropped her precious burden and fell flat to the floor. The owl hooted sorrowfully.  
  
--Good Lord! Misty, be careful! You, bludger-girl! - a pale slender woman with fiery hair took the cage carefully, and let the little owl out. - Why aren't you dressed and why isn't your hair brushed yet??? You could have done it at least in honor of your birthday! --At least in honor of my birthday could I escape the cold water early in the morning? - countered the girl. - I'll do every-every-everything, mum! I just wanted to see the presents! --So, you've obviously seen them. O'K. Now go to the bathroom, wash yourself and then. we're going to have your favorite fried potatoes for breakfast! --I love you, mum! - Misty jumped up, hung by the woman's neck and kissed her in cheeks. - I'll be as quick as a bludger!  
  
But she failed to keep her promise. As soon as Misty made a step towards her room, the flame in the fireplace droned and poured a cascade of sparks over the girl and her mother; and then, right out of the flame there stepped a high thin freckled man about thirty years of age. He was just as red-haired as the mistress of the house.  
  
--Uncle Ron!!! - gaily screamed the girl and immediately hung by his neck. --So, Mystery, happy birthday, niece! - the man awkwardly took the girl off, put her on the floor and presented a long roll to her, There was a. --Broom! Uncle Ron, MY OWN BROOM! Not a toy one, but REAL! --Well, it's not Nimbus-2020, but -- . he smiled. - Hi, Ginny! I decided to congratulate Misty a bit earlier; the rest will come to lunch. Don't look at mi in this way!!! This dragonfly was created for qudditch! You'll see, remember my words! --Listen, Ron, the broom must be very expensive. You didn't need to do it. What's more, Misty already has dozens of bruises and bumps, she'll wring her neck with this broom! --Don't worry! She won't! --Mum, I won't! I'll be very careful! --I know your 'careful' very well! OK, monster, go and get dressed, stop sporting your nightgown in front of your uncle! You are not a baby. --Yes-yes-yes! Just a minute! Don't sit down to table without me! - the girl jumped and rushed to her room, holding the broom.  
  
Undoubtedly, it is her coolest birthday! It's unimportant she hasn't become magically grown-up, it never happens. In return she has a broom, an owl, and personal watch!!! And, at night, she'll enjoy the witty present from uncle Fred and uncle George. A happy smile lit up Misty's face. It's devilishly pleasant to be a witch! Muggle's birthdays must be so dull! Their presents are silly, they don't have a slightest idea of qudditch, and, as grandpa has said, they don't have owl post! Misty never understood, how muggle postmen managed not to mess it all up and find the addressee if he has left. However, it was not interesting to think about it for a long time. The girl hastily rinsed her face, sleeked her hair with a wooden comb, braided it, tore away her nightgown and put on her favorite clothes: worn-out jeans, T-shirt, sandals and a shabby violet robe. Well, that's complete alertness! Now she's ready both for a magical and muggle world (though, in the second case, she'd probably have to take the robe off))).  
  
The clapping of wings was heard overhead, and then an owl touched down the cage, that Misty had brought from the living room. It looked round for some time, very attentively, as if studying its new dwelling, and then hooted with pleasure.  
  
--Oo-ops, I nearly forgot! - Misty banged herself in forehead. - You need some water. And a name!  
  
Well, the first thing was quite easy, while the second one. Misty didn't have any idea, how to name her owl. Uncle Ron's owl's name was Pig, the owl of his best friend, that very Harry the Great, was Hedwig. But these names don't suit Misty's owl! What's more, it's not her pair of shoes - imitating anyone even celebrities.  
  
The girl sat down at the table and began to bite her fingers. Thousands of names crowded in her head, but she didn't know, which one to give her preference to. Maybe, Firebolt will suit? Or Flying Lady, she's so noble! Or Hurricane. no, she's female. Bawler, Night-Owl, Smart, Bee.  
  
--Misty, where are you lost??? --Wait, mum! - the girl shook her head impatiently. A pretty business this! How shall I name you? --Slee-e-ep! - hooted the owl. --Exactly! - Misty even jumped up from delight. - Yoy are going to be Sleepy!  
  
So, having solved this problem, Misty ran skipping to the kitchen. An amazing day! But there lacks one thing for total happiness.  
  
--Hurry up, Misty! The breakfast is waiting for you! And the letter, too!  
  
The letter!!!!!! Is it possible.  
  
Misty burst into the kitchen, jumped to the table, grasped the heavy envelope and tore the seal off. "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy." The headmaster was still the same - Albus Dumbledore ( Merlin Order of the 1st category, the Great Wizard, the Supreme Sorcerer, the Almighty Magician, a member of the International Wizards Association). He must be very old, after all, not only mother and all the uncles, but also grandma and grandpa studied in the times of Dumbledore. But it was too boring to think about the headmaster at that moment. Misty began to read the letter impatiently.  
  
"Dear Miss Keeper, We have the pleasure to inform you, that you've been accepted to the Hogwarts Schhol of Witchcraft and Wizardy. The list of textbooks and other useful stuff is applied. The schoolyear begins on September, 1. We expect your return owl until July, 31".  
  
--I HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED!!! - cried Misty. - I'LL STUDY IN HOGWARTS!!!  
  
--Sure, -- Ginny frowned. - You are eleven. Besides, you shouldn't cry like a muggle, who has just discovered the existence of wizards! Let me see the list.  
  
Misty extracted the paper from the envelope and handed it to her mother. As Ginny was reading it, her face grew gloomier and gloomier. Misty's mood fell sharply. Yes, yes. It's again the same. Her mother has such a face only when she thinks, where to get the money. Alas, their account in the bank is so little, and the costs are so big. Meanwhile, Ron had a look at the list, leaning over Ginny's shoulder. --Almost everything is just the same, as in our times, -- said he. --Except for the prices, -- sighed Ginny. - You know, Ron, I can't understand, what is happening in the world! We need a fortune to equip a kid for school nowadays.  
  
Misty almost choke with potato. Will she fail to go to Hogwarts because they are not rich??? Will she have to attend another one, a decayed school? But mother seemed not to give up. Having resolutely taken a piece of parchment out of the pocket of her robe, she moved the ink-pot and the feather to herself and started to scribble:  
  
"Dear Mr. Dumbledore, thank you for the letter to Misty! I hope, she'll be a good student and won't make any trouble to you! Respectfully yours, Ginny Keeper." 


End file.
